Wood mites

[millertime89]

I have them in a few of my smaller snake cages at the recommendation of BarelyBreathing. They make cleaning even less of a chore, they eat poop and urates before I find them usually and they don't harm the snake in any way. Anyone else have them?

[SpOoKy]

Nope, do you just buy them or find them outside. I am interested in adding them to my enclosures.

[millertime89]

Find em outside, small redish brown mites. Really small actually.

For people that have them and want to get rid of them you can get predator mites that will eat only the mites and then die off when there's no more mites to eat. These work well for reptile mites too.

[BarelyBreathing]

Well as you've mentioned, I do. The brown ones are spring tails, though. Wood mites are white or light gray, but they also do the same thing.

[Will0W783]

I have these bizarre flies showing up ever since I bought some mulch at Home Depot. They are tiny like fruit flies, but I'm not sure that they are. The bags of mulch got mold in them so I threw them out, but apparently not before these flies took over the house! They do not seem to bother my snakes, but they seem to be in a few of the cages. Lots of fly paper and thorough disinfection of all the cages got rid of them for a while, but they were elsewhere in the house and are now back in the snake room. UGH

[Pareeeee]

willow - probably fungus gnats. There are ways to get rid of them, try googling it

[mykee]

"They make cleaning even less of a chore, they eat poop and urates "

LOL!

Wood mites, as their names hint at, eat the cellulous in wood.
Period.
Not poop, not pee, nothing but wood.
These posts of complete 100% misinformation are getting more and more common on here.
Bad for everyone.

[millertime89]

LOL!

Wood mites, as their names hint at, eat the cellulous in wood.
Period.
Not poop, not pee, nothing but wood.
These posts of complete 100% misinformation are getting more and more common on here.
Bad for everyone.

than what's your explanation oh great snake genius?

[Aaron_S]

Do you mean pill bugs?

These things?

Google Image Result for http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/kzantay/IMAGES/pillbugs%2520habitat.jpg (http://www.google.ca/imgres?um=1&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=665&tbm=isch&tbnid=rlxuYPUbBgIyJM:&imgrefurl=http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/kzantay/Pillbugs.html&docid=YB2oOOlLVN10sM&imgurl=http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/kzantay/IMAGES/pillbugs%252520habitat.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=uD-9UL-5AYeg2QWQ3IGIDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=420&vpy=162&dur=1938&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=120&ty=122&sig=105144884376354501677&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=173&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:140)

[millertime89]

they're definitely not pill bugs.

[millertime89]

I'll take a look at them again when I get home, but they're definitely mites. Smaller than a pin head. Don't think I have any way of photographing them because they're so small.

[Aaron_S]

than what's your explanation oh great snake genius?

He said they are wood mites and eat wood. What other explanation do you want?

Maybe do some of your own research? If they are indeed wood mites they simply eat wood. I did some searches.

[millertime89]

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

[Gungirl]

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

Without seeing them how would he come up with any idea of what they could be? If you had a good picture fine but with no photo he has nothing to go off besides to tell you a fact about the ones you "think" you have.

yes he could have been nicer but we all know that our Mykee doesn't do that.

[mykee]

YOU called them wood mites Sparky! Hell, your thread is TITLED wood mites.
Wood mites eat wood.
If English is not your first language maybe I can find some good translation software....

[Aaron_S]

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

Hmm, without a pic how could anyone really come up with anything else? You just claimed that "wood" mites eat poop and urates. False. You're the *** who spoke before actually doing research. Passing bad information off as fact. Don't listen to someone simply because they are your friend.

PS. Dust mites don't eat feces either.

[KORBIN5895]

As did I, nothing definitive, looks like dust mites is what they would be. Rather than him being a **** about it he could have just said "they're actually dust mites" or whatever he thinks they actually are.

You can't see dust mites with your naked eye so try again.....

[Jay]

You can't see dust mites with your naked eye so try again.....

I was just going to mention that.

[Wildside]

Are they the little red ones that run around on concrete in the summer?

[Aaron_S]

Well as you've mentioned, I do. The brown ones are spring tails, though. Wood mites are white or light gray, but they also do the same thing.

I wish you wouldn't post half information in regards to what wood mites eat.

Springtails will eat just about anything but doesn't mean we should be using them for this job. I think it's unfair since it's not their natural diet. Their diet in the wild consist of fungi,decaying plant matter, mold or algae. In captivity most people feed fish flakes, uncooked pasta or something along those lines.

In captivity they are commonly kept in dart frog tanks or small gecko species to help the babies eat something until they can down crickets.

[Jay]

Are they the little red ones that run around on concrete in the summer?

Is it bad i still like to squish them:D

[Wildside]

Is it bad i still like to squish them:D

Um no... The way they smear is really cool. I'm always amazed because I had no idea there was that much bug there.

[mykee]

It's fun to attempt to eradicate stupidity.

[Wildside]

It's fun to attempt to eradicate stupidity.


That's really not what I was going for :( I just wanted to paint a little bit

[millertime89]

its even more entertaining when you actually accomplish it...

[Wildside]

its even more entertaining when you actually accomplish it...

Painting with the red mites?

[mykee]

Kyle, the fact that you posted again showed that I failed in my attempt.

[millertime89]

Here's as good of a picture as I could get. Little white/grey mites that you can kind of see, they scattered when I took the water dish off that was covering the poop. Click the image to blow it up to full size for a better view.
http://www.1320video.com/img/album360/MG_3628.jpg

[GDZILLA95]

Can you find one in the pic and circle it with microsoft paint or something? My eyes are old and even when I enlarged the pic, all I could see was snake, snake crap, and the bedding.

[Kiljosh]

I have these tiny white bugs in my Skink's cage. They don't seem to bother him as they are never on him. They seem to hang out in the moist soil. I never find them on the dry area I give him.

[Aaron_S]

My guess wood mites. They may be on the poop but they certainly are only after the damp substrate.

[millertime89]

But they're only in the area around the poop.

[Aaron_S]

But they're only in the area around the poop.

Did you look up wood mites?

They like damp, rotting, soft wood. They don't like dry wood.

What does poop do? Helps rots things.

[lady_bug87]

here is an interesting read about bugs in cattle dung, I see a lot about beetles but nothing about mites...

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/english/grasslandbook2/Chapter4_ACGv2.pdf

[Terranaut]

Yet another quality thread :(

[lady_bug87]

Yet another quality thread :(

I think its an interesting discussion and it made me want to research, isnt that the point of threads? To spread awareness and curiosity?

[Terranaut]

I wish I was reading the same thread as you. I see a bad first post with bad info followed up by it being pointed out by a few others. I see the op getting upset. I see name calling and 3 pages of bad info about wood mites. Tell you what. I am very interested in poop eating bugs so I will start another thread about that and not about wood mites.

[BarelyBreathing]

Wood mites eat the rot around wood. This includes the bad stuff on wood, but it also includes vegetation, and yes, poop.

[lady_bug87]

I wish I was reading the same thread as you. I see a bad first post with bad info followed up by it being pointed out by a few others. I see the op getting upset. I see name calling and 3 pages of bad info about wood mites. Tell you what. I am very interested in poop eating bugs so I will start another thread about that and not about wood mites.

Ah, there is a good reason for that, I didn't read 90% of it, I just started looking stuff up for myself :)

The article I posted is a cool read though

[mykee]

"Wood mites eat the rot around wood. This includes the bad stuff on wood, but it also includes vegetation, and yes, poop. "
I'm not even going to waste my time argueing with you now or in the future.

[Aaron_S]

Wood mites eat the rot around wood. This includes the bad stuff on wood, but it also includes vegetation, and yes, poop.

That makes little sense.

Sure I can see a wood mite eating SOME poop but such a small amount it wouldn't affect your enclosure. Since their primary diet is wood. They will ignore as much poop as possible. I can put the smallest amount of poop on a piece of lettuce and feed it to a rabbit, doesn't make it a poop eater.

[KORBIN5895]

That makes little sense.

Sure I can see a wood mite eating SOME poop but such a small amount it wouldn't affect your enclosure. Since their primary diet is wood. They will ignore as much poop as possible. I can put the smallest amount of poop on a piece of lettuce and feed it to a rabbit, doesn't make it a poop eater.

No. It makes you a sick person though.

[Aaron_S]

No. It makes you a sick person though.

You're just jealous that the hypothetical rabbit gets more attention than you.

[KORBIN5895]

You're just jealous that the hypothetical rabbit gets more attention than you.

Yes. We know your "rabbit" (terrible nickname fyi) is hypothetical...

[Mark Taylor]

How long would it take for the Poop to be eaten? More than 5 seconds? Because that's how long it takes me to pick up poop.

[Pirarucu]

I don't see a bad thread, I see a bunch of bad comments. The OP saw mites eating his snake's poop, and guessed that they were wood mites. Do wood mites normally eat poop? Nope. Are there other mites that do? You bet. The right thing to do would be to correct him on the species, then politely and informatively discuss the subject. Instead, everyone instantly piled on to bash the OP, even using personal attacks and insinuations.
And we wonder why this forum is going downhill....

[Pirarucu]

If I had to guess, I'd say they are mold mites. Mold eats poop, mites eat mold. It's as simple as that. I'd just leave them there, they won't bother the snake.

[mykee]

Just clean the damn poop out of the enclosure rather than post pics on here. Easier and cleaner.
EWWW!

[Corey209]

From what I've been reading from other sources, wood mites didn't really do anything for others besides stop their springtails from thriving.

Why not just stop wasting your time and go get some isopods/springtails?
Isopod, Pillbug, Sow Bug Information (http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm)

[lady_bug87]

I don't see a bad thread, I see a bunch of bad comments. The OP saw mites eating his snake's poop, and guessed that they were wood mites. Do wood mites normally eat poop? Nope. Are there other mites that do? You bet. The right thing to do would be to correct him on the species, then politely and informatively discuss the subject. Instead, everyone instantly piled on to bash the OP, even using personal attacks and insinuations.
And we wonder why this forum is going downhill....

Which eat poop? I tried looking all over the web and i cannot find any evidence that there are *any* coprophagous mites.

And if they are mold mites it doesn't make sense to make poop mold so you don't have to pick it up besides that's not how coprophagia works.

Insects that are coprophagic eat left over nutrients in the feces of large animals. Herbivore digestive systems are inefficient and therefore a lot of nutrients are found in the feces. They don't eat just any old poop.

Besides there would be no reason for a coprophagic mite to eat snake feces since their digestive systems are extremely efficient, there wouldn't be enough nutrients left to sustain them.

Just a quick source:Coprophagia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia)

[Aaron_S]

Which eat poop? I tried looking all over the web and i cannot find any evidence that there are *any* coprophagous mites.

And if they are mold mites it doesn't make sense to make poop mold so you don't have to pick it up besides that's not how coprophagia works.

Insects that are coprophagic eat left over nutrients in the feces of large animals. Herbivore digestive systems are inefficient and therefore a lot of nutrients are found in the feces. They don't eat just any old poop.

Besides there would be no reason for a coprophagic mite to eat snake feces since their digestive systems are extremely efficient, there wouldn't be enough nutrients left to sustain them.

Just a quick source:Coprophagia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia)


I think someone just got served.... :D

Also, so is this to believe that without a proper set-up that a snake bio enclosure can't be done? I believe it's laziness of keepers who go for this situation.

I also believe that it worked really well in dart frogs and some gecko enclosures because they can eat the insects to keep the numbers down. It's a better ecosystem.

[Pirarucu]

Which eat poop? I tried looking all over the web and i cannot find any evidence that there are *any* coprophagous mites.

And if they are mold mites it doesn't make sense to make poop mold so you don't have to pick it up besides that's not how coprophagia works.

Insects that are coprophagic eat left over nutrients in the feces of large animals. Herbivore digestive systems are inefficient and therefore a lot of nutrients are found in the feces. They don't eat just any old poop.

Besides there would be no reason for a coprophagic mite to eat snake feces since their digestive systems are extremely efficient, there wouldn't be enough nutrients left to sustain them.

Just a quick source:Coprophagia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia)I have seen myself small red mites (or at least, that's certainly what I took them to be.) eating poop on a cattle farm. They were absolutely swarming it.. I agree there is not much of a reason to go after snake feces, for the exact reasons you said. You'll notice I did not specify snake feces though, did I?

[lady_bug87]

I don't see a bad thread, I see a bunch of bad comments. The OP saw mites eating his snake's poop, and guessed that they were wood mites. Do wood mites normally eat poop? Nope. Are there other mites that do? You bet. The right thing to do would be to correct him on the species, then politely and informatively discuss the subject. Instead, everyone instantly piled on to bash the OP, even using personal attacks and insinuations.
And we wonder why this forum is going downhill....

I have seen myself small red mites (or at least, that's certainly what I took them to be.) eating poop on a cattle farm. They were absolutely swarming it.. I agree there is not much of a reason to go after snake feces, for the exact reasons you said. You'll notice I did not specify snake feces though, did I?

See the quote above this one.

[Pirarucu]

See the quote above this one.Perhaps you should too. I stated there are mites that eat feces. I did not specifically say there are mites adapted to eat snake feces.

That being said, I'd be willing to bet those mites would still go after snake poop if it was the only stuff around. Animals will live wherever they can possibly survive, not exclusively in ideal conditions. There will be higher concentrations in ideal conditions, but if they can survive in smaller numbers elsewhere, you had better believe they will do so.

[Aaron_S]

Perhaps you should too. I stated there are mites that eat feces. I did not specifically say there are mites adapted to eat snake feces.

That being said, I'd be willing to bet those mites would still go after snake poop if it was the only stuff around. Animals will live wherever they can possibly survive, not exclusively in ideal conditions. There will be higher concentrations in ideal conditions, but if they can survive in smaller numbers elsewhere, you had better believe they will do so.

At the end of the day, I think the best thing to do is just to put some elbow grease into your collection and pick up the poop!

The OP has what? A few snakes. Nothing compared to what myself or other breeders have and I don't have bugs doing my job!

[lady_bug87]

Perhaps you should too. I stated there are mites that eat feces. I did not specifically say there are mites adapted to eat snake feces.

That being said, I'd be willing to bet those mites would still go after snake poop if it was the only stuff around. Animals will live wherever they can possibly survive, not exclusively in ideal conditions. There will be higher concentrations in ideal conditions, but if they can survive in smaller numbers elsewhere, you had better believe they will do so.

O boy, you sure told me...

[Pirarucu]

At the end of the day, I think the best thing to do is just to put some elbow grease into your collection and pick up the poop!

The OP has what? A few snakes. Nothing compared to what myself or other breeders have and I don't have bugs doing my job!I personally just pick up my snake's poop as well. It also depends on your cage. If you have your snakes in a big, elaborate cage then you've bound to miss some of it, in which case it's nice to have a cleanup crew. If you have your snakes in small tubs then it's less practical.

[Aaron_S]

I personally just pick up my snake's poop as well. It also depends on your cage. If you have your snakes in a big, elaborate cage then you've bound to miss some of it, in which case it's nice to have a cleanup crew. If you have your snakes in small tubs then it's less practical.

Dude, I've done it for years. Never once have I used a clean up crew. Not even in the days when I worked in a pet store with EVERYTHING in tanks and multiple animals. We got in trouble if we just "missed" some of it. It's ALL in a pile. You can't miss it. Stop making excuses for lazy keepers.

[Corey209]

Dude, I've done it for years. Never once have I used a clean up crew. Not even in the days when I worked in a pet store with EVERYTHING in tanks and multiple animals. We got in trouble if we just "missed" some of it. It's ALL in a pile. You can't miss it. Stop making excuses for lazy keepers.

I agree completely, I normally scoop the poop and the substrate underneath it up so that I don't miss anything. It's not hard to put a little substrate back in the enclosure.

[Pirarucu]

Dude, I've done it for years. Never once have I used a clean up crew. Not even in the days when I worked in a pet store with EVERYTHING in tanks and multiple animals. We got in trouble if we just "missed" some of it. It's ALL in a pile. You can't miss it. Stop making excuses for lazy keepers.By "large, elaborate cage" I did not mean like a Ball Python in a 75 or even 125 gallon tank with cypress and branches everywhere. That is still a simple tank to me. Large and elaborate means a cage larger than a room, piled high with stuff. I'm talking about a cage with spots you can't even see or get to. If a keeper is setting up cages like what I'm talking about, they would not be lazy, it would simply be impractical to not have it bioactive.

[Aaron_S]

By "large, elaborate cage" I did not mean like a Ball Python in a 75 or even 125 gallon tank with cypress and branches everywhere. That is still a simple tank to me. Large and elaborate means a cage larger than a room, piled high with stuff. I'm talking about a cage with spots you can't even see or get to. If a keeper is setting up cages like what I'm talking about, they would not be lazy, it would simply be impractical to not have it bioactive.

Wait, were we not talking in our own homes for the average keeper? Your argument is now based on zoo sized enclosures?

[Pirarucu]

Wait, were we not talking in our own homes for the average keeper? Your argument is now based on zoo sized enclosures?Yes. I did not say it should be needed for the average keeper, I was simply saying that there are instances where it is helpful to have a bioactive cage. I am doubtless that at least some keepers have their animals in large cages, and I am saying the need for a bioactive cage applies mainly to those individuals. I am not saying a snake in a tub should have a bioactive cage, in that case it is much easier to simply scoop out the poop, as you said.
As I said in my last post, a bioactive cage is only truly beneficial when it's simply impractical to clean the cage yourself.

[RandyRhoads]

How long would it take for the Poop to be eaten? More than 5 seconds? Because that's how long it takes me to pick up poop.:yes::yes::yes::yes: Seriously. I'm not trying to raise a mite farm. I don't care if they did eat feces and urates, I can't see that being practical without an insane amount of mites. I'd like my enclosure to stay a snake enclosure, not a mite habitat.

It's already bad enough having girls come over and explain why I have a 10' python and rattlesnakes, I can't imagine having to explain my poo eating mite farm as well....

[Pirarucu]

:yes::yes::yes::yes: Seriously. I'm not trying to raise a mite farm. I don't care if they did eat feces and urates, I can't see that being practical without an insane amount of mites. I'd like my enclosure to stay a snake enclosure, not a mite habitat.

It's already bad enough having girls come over and explain why I have a 10' python and rattlesnakes, I can't imagine having to explain my poo eating mite farm as well....LOL. Yes, this is why there's no reason for it in a small cage.

[Aaron_S]

:yes::yes::yes::yes: Seriously. I'm not trying to raise a mite farm. I don't care if they did eat feces and urates, I can't see that being practical without an insane amount of mites. I'd like my enclosure to stay a snake enclosure, not a mite habitat.

It's already bad enough having girls come over and explain why I have a 10' python and rattlesnakes, I can't imagine having to explain my poo eating mite farm as well....

Just tell the ladies they are for a movie and they can be the star ;)

[RandyRhoads]

Just tell the ladies they are for a movie and they can be the star ;)
Did you hack my hard drive.....

[Aaron_S]

Did you hack my hard drive.....

Great minds think alike is all

[Gungirl]

This thread just got really really odd...

[KORBIN5895]

How long would it take for the Poop to be eaten? More than 5 seconds? Because that's how long it takes me to pick up poop.

This is the answer.

This thread just got really really odd...

Yeah.... nothing like back peddling to save face while the other side switches to home made porn fantasies.

[RandyRhoads]

This is the answer.



Yeah.... nothing like back peddling to save face while the other side switches to home made porn fantasies.

Reality*:bouncy:

[KORBIN5895]

So you and Aaron are doing a porn video together?

[EmbraceCalamity]

That sounds like fun. :)

~Maggot

[RandyRhoads]

So you and Aaron are doing a porn video together?

Jealous?


....

[KORBIN5895]

Jealous?


....

Not at all but mykee might be.

[ada-man-teus]

I just bought a poo flinging monkey...problem solved...